I'll have to collect my material... but if you like, I can definitely do it one day. But feel free to comment on something yourself, if you have the knowledge, because what I have access to is usually "high fashion" of the time, so there must have been a lot of differences.

There are two kinds of films in this world:those which stay,even when their genre is forgotten,and those which don't.

As far as Jill's travelling attire is concerned, I found this picture of a travelling dress from 1873, which is very similar, including the hat:http://www.koshka-the-cat.com/queen/1873/queen4.jpgThe hat in particular, actually. The similarity really stroke me when I saw it. Jill's just doesn't have the big - what do you call it? - the big decoration on the side, but the shape and the ribbon are almost identical.To refresh your memory, here's the film costume. (I suppose you don't need it, but I love this costume. )

According to this Wikipedia article, "the common outer garments were square shawls folded on the diagonal to make a triangle" in the 1860's. That's to Jill's wrap. I think I've seen it on some picture, I just cannot find anything now. It seems to me there's also something similar on the picture I linked to above. (Not what the lady has over her shoulders, that seems to be something tailored, but she has something loosely wrapped around her and that might be it.)Ah, wait. Here's one:http://www.fashion-era.com/images/la_mode_illustree/lamodevasegreen.jpgIt's really 60's, which is too early for OUATITW, but that doesn't matter that much. It would be worse if it were too late for it.

I just added an entry called "Jill McBain Couture" and copied the image from your first link. I don't have any text yet, maybe you could help me out. Are there just two dresses we need to worry about, the traveling outfit and the one for the auction?

That's what you get, Drink, for not appreciating the genius of When You Read This Letter.

I think it will be best if I start a new thread focused on this. And then we might decide what should go here and what is too much detail and should stay in a separate thread. OK?

You can write there that it's from the site www.koshka-the.cat.com, that it comes from The Queen Magazine, August 30, 1873 and the description goes

Quote

"CLOTH TRAVELLING COSTUME Vieugna cloth of a neutral shade is used for this costume. The short skirt is bordered with a flounce mounted in triple plaits, and sen down with a crossband. The tunic is bordered with crossband, which is also repeated on the talma."

(Or whatever you think is most important of that, I think nobody is interested in those details, and if, can go visit the site.) That one should notice the similarity of the hat and the overall lines of the costume. And that Jill's travelling costume is black, although it was said not to be a good colour for travelling by train, because the dust was well seen on it. (I have this information from a history book on USA during Grant's presidency, written by a Czech scholar.)I think that the colour was deliberate, because it fitted to the mood of the burial later on...

There are two kinds of films in this world:those which stay,even when their genre is forgotten,and those which don't.